Presidential inauguration of William Henry Harrison in Washington, March 4, 1841

Assuming the Presidency

With the election of William Henry Harrison and John Tyler in 1840, the Whig Party tasted real power for the first time. And many office-seekers couldn't wait to grab hold of a job in Washington. At his own inauguration celebrations, Harrison had to move quickly to avoid these greedy individuals.

President Harrison was not interested in Vice President's Tyler's help, so Tyler retreated to his Virginia estate immediately after Harrison's inauguration. But a month later, on April 5, 1841, Tyler awoke to Secretary of State Daniel Webster's son knocking on his door. What was Webster there to tell him?